John Weldon (musician)


John Weldon was an English composer.

Life

Born at Chichester in the south of England, he was educated at Eton, where he was a chorister, and later received musical instruction from Henry Purcell. By 1694 Weldon had been appointed organist of New College in Oxford and became well known in the musical life of that city, writing music for masques as well as performing his organist duties.
Some believe he set Shakespeare's play The Tempest to music in 1695, although others attribute that to Henry Purcell.
Weldon moved to London and in 1701 took part in a competition to set Congreve's libretto The Judgement of Paris to music. Perhaps surprisingly, Weldon's setting was chosen over contributions by his older, more experienced and better-known competitors, Daniel Purcell, John Eccles and Godfrey Finger. Even more curiously, Purcell's and Eccles's scores were later published by John Walsh. Weldon's however was not and remains in manuscript, though the lack of recognition of his relatively new name may also have played a part. There is some evidence to suggest that the judges of the competition were not entirely impartial, however it has also been suggested that Weldon's setting was considered less old fashioned than his somewhat older contemporaries. In the same year as the competition, Weldon was made a Gentleman of the Chapel Royal.
Having established his reputation in London, Weldon continued for some years to write music for the theatre. Music for The Tempest, until the mid-1960s believed to have been composed by Henry Purcell, was in all probability written by Weldon for the Drury Lane Theatre, in 1712. Weldon's musical style owes much to Purcell's influence but is more Italianate and also embraces the 'modern' French styles and forms that were becoming increasingly popular at the time.
John Weldon devoted the latter part of his life almost exclusively to the duties of the Chapel Royal and to writing church music. He succeeded John Blow as Chapel Royal organist, and in 1715 was made second composer under William Croft. Six solo anthems were published by John Walsh in 1716 under the title Divine Harmony. They were claimed to have been sung by the famous tenor, Richard Elford, though it seems that at least some of the anthems were written for one Mr Bowyer during Weldon's time at New College. Weldon also held the post of organist at two London Churches, St Bride's, Fleet Street and St Martin-in-the-Fields. He died on 7 May 1736 and is buried in St. Paul's Church, Covent Garden, London. Some of his sacred music is published by Music 18.

Descendants

John Weldon's grandson Samuel Thomas Champnes would follow in his musical footsteps and become one of Handel's soloists. Many of their descendants were involved in the church and took the Weldon surname as their second name, often writing the music for hymns in Hymns Ancient and Modern.

Works

Sacred Music

Until the early 21st century, John Weldon's work had been judged primarily on the basis of the six anthems published in Divine Harmony during his lifetime and the two anthems published in Boyce's Cathedral Music. The six solo anthems have much to commend them, but also weaknesses in sequential and tonal control. The seventh, O God, thou hast cast us out is rather more sophisticated and as such gained a place in Arnold's Cathedral Music. Also gaining a place in this collection was the full-with-verse anthem, Who can tell how oft he offendeth. It is this anthem that Weldon excels in a synthesis of Blow/Purcellian structure and Handelian harmony. The most successful of Weldon's writing, though, is found in the verse anthems. In these he conveys a wide range of emotions and develops ensemble writing techniques in systematic ways. Particularly successful are the anthems conveying joy and praise with unbounded elation. The solo and ensemble writing in these verse anthems is particularly strong, with real virtuosity required on the part of the singers.
Anthems in chronological order:
TitleIndex numberGenreProbable date
O praise God in his holinessJW24Short Full Anthem1701
O praise the Lord for it is a good thingJW25Short Full Anthem1701
O Lord, rebuke me notJW1Solo AnthemPre-1702
I will lift up mine eyesJW5Solo AnthemPre-1702
O how pleasant are thy dwellingsJW8Solo AnthemPre-1702
Blessed be the Lord my strengthJW2Solo AnthemPre-1702
O praise the Lord of heavenJW3Solo AnthemPre-1702
O praise the Lord, laud ye the name of the Lord
JW9aVerse AnthemPre-1702
Thou art my portionJW4Solo AnthemProbably pre-1702
Have mercy upon meJW6Solo Anthemc.1700–1705
O God thou hast cast us outJW7Solo Anthem1703/4
O sing unto the Lord a new songJW12Verse Anthem9 January 1707/8
Ponder my wordsJW15Verse Anthem1708–1712
Praise the Lord ye servantsJW14Verse Anthem1708–1712
O praise the Lord, laud ye the name of the Lord
JW9bVerse Anthem1708–1712
Sanctus and GloriaJW26/27Full Service c.1708
Rejoice in the LordJW13Verse Anthem17 February 1708/9
O praise the Lord, ye that fear himJW16Verse AnthemAfter February 1708/9; before 1713/4
O give thanks unto the LordJW35Verse Anthem22 November 1709
Blessed is the man that fearethJW34Verse Anthem?1708–1712
Blessed are those that are undefiledJW33Verse Anthem?1708–1712
The King shall rejoiceJW17Verse Anthemc.1710-c.1715
Hear my crying, O GodJW19Full-with-verses Anthem?1712-c.1715
In thee, O LordJW20Full-with-verses Anthem?1712- c.1715
Turn thou us, O good LordJW22Full-with-verses Anthem?c.1711-c.1713
The Princes of the PeopleJW37Verse AnthemPre-1714, probably 1713
Service in DJW28/29/31/32Full Service 1714–1717
O be joyfulJW10Verse Anthemc.1715–1722
O Lord, let me hear thy loving kindnessJW11Verse Anthemc.1715–1722
I will love thee, O LordJW36Verse Anthemc.1715–1722
Who can tell how oft he offendethJW21Full-with-verses Anthemc.1715–1716
Let God ariseJW18Verse Anthem?c.1715–1722

Operas